Dairy-Free Recipes

Lactose intolerance. Milk allergy. Casein-free diet. Whatever your reason for going dairy-free, it might seem like a scary prospect at first. Dairy is in so many favorite foods and recipes. But with a little know-how and effort, you can cut the dairy out of your diet and still eat really well.

Most importantly, you should know that you arent alone. For many reasons, theres a growing number of people who are choosing dairy-free lifestyles to avoid allergens, live healthier or even manage other conditions. Milk allergies are among the top eight food allergies in the United States. And like other food allergies, the symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Foods to Avoid

The first step in a dairy-free lifestyle is adjusting your diet to cut out dairy-filled foods. You should avoid everything that contains dairy including milk, cream, milk-based cheese, butter, some margarines, cream cheese, cottage...more

Dairy-Free Recipes

Lactose intolerance. Milk allergy. Casein-free diet. Whatever your reason for going dairy-free, it might seem like a scary prospect at first. Dairy is in so many favorite foods and recipes. But with a little know-how and effort, you can cut the dairy out of your diet and still eat really well.

Most importantly, you should know that you arent alone. For many reasons, theres a growing number of people who are choosing dairy-free lifestyles to avoid allergens, live healthier or even manage other conditions. Milk allergies are among the top eight food allergies in the United States. And like other food allergies, the symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Foods to Avoid

The first step in a dairy-free lifestyle is adjusting your diet to cut out dairy-filled foods. You should avoid everything that contains dairy including milk, cream, milk-based cheese, butter, some margarines, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream and ice cream. Youll also want to be careful with chocolate  milk chocolate is off limits, and so are certain other chocolates like semi-sweet. Be sure to read the ingredients list before eating.

Its also important that you be careful to avoid hidden sources of dairy. These will appear on nutritional labels as things like curds, whey, ghee and lactose, among others.

If going dairy-free is part of a casein-free diet, there are additional foods to avoid in addition to all dairy. Be sure to check out The Casein-Free Diet Quick Start Guide to learn more about non-dairy foods to avoid on this diet as well.

Dairy-Free Substitutions

Now that you are up to speed on what to avoid, what can you have? Lots, actually. There are limitless possibilities for delicious foods with grains, fruits, vegetables and more.

But moreover, you dont have to go without. Your favorite recipes can still be part of your repertoire, even if they call for dairy. Simply substitute dairy-free options when making the recipe. For instance, if you are craving a grilled cheese, you can still have it. Simply purchase dairy-free cheese at the grocery store and use a dairy-free buttery spread. (Note: if you are casein-free, youll probably have to avoid non-dairy cheese.)

To learn more about dairy-free alternatives, check out Gluten Free & Mores handy Substitution Guide . It includes options for replacing milk, buttermilk, yogurt and butter with flavorful alternatives. You can also read more about Surprising Dairy-Free Alternatives so that you can continue enjoying favorite foods and recipes while living dairy-free.

Featured Recipe

SERVES 6

Mac and cheese is one of the foods everyone misses most when they go without gluten and dairy, my children included. I was determined to come up with a recipe that they would love, says Jessica Glick. And she did. This simple and delicious dish has all the creaminess, cheesy flavor and mouth-feel you expect. Shortly after posting this recipe on my blog, it became a hit. Two leading dairy-free companies featured it on their sites.